How to Start an FPUSA Club

Like they say at Pétanque America, all you need to play are dirt, balls, and a pig. Start with those and it won't be long before you start finding like-minded players. Once you have eight friends enjoying pétanque, you are well on your way to forming an FPUSA club.
Before you know it, you'll find yourself in front of the local rec commission with a modest proposal for a couple of courts. 
Just follow the simple steps below and you'll be hosting your first Inter-Regional in no time.
​Photo courtesy of Jeed Chaiboonruang.

The Basics

  • Get at least eight boules players together, yourself plus seven friends.
  • Download the Club Application, which you will find here on the website. There is a button link to a printable PDF version below.
  • Take a photo of each member who has signed the application and as many others who would like to join. Make sure you take a head shot and don’t wear a hat or glasses for your photo. Each file should be named for the person whose photo it is, e.g. the name of John Smith's file would be: JohnSmith.jpg. E-mail the photos and membership information to: Secretary@USAPetanque.org 
  • The member liability waivers must be signed and sent to the FPUSA as a hard copies along with the club application. Download, print and have each member sign a waiver, adult or junior waiver, whichever is appropriate. There is a button link below to the waivers page where you can download printable PDF waivers. 
  • Send the completed club application with membership information with a check ($15 per adult member, $5 per junior) made payable to the FPUSA to the Secretary at the address on the bottom of the application.
  • When all your club's application materials are received,  the Secretary will acknowledge receipt of your application and begin the approval process.
  • As soon as all the membership materials are processed, the cards will be mailed to your club president for signature and distribution.

Contents of the Final Application

By Mail to the Secretary:
  1. Your completed club application signed by eight members
  2. Your check or money order payable to the FPUSA
  3. Your signed waivers
By E-Mail to Secretary@USAPetanque.org
  1. A jpg file of each member's photo labelled with his or her name (JaneSmith.jpg)

Steal These Ideas…

Thanks to our friends at the Noyo Yoyos club in Mendocino-Fort Bragg, California, and the Port Townsend Pétanque Alliance in Port Townsend, Washington, we have some model documents that might help to get you started. Nos amis at La Boule Cadienne in Lafayette, Louisiana, have supplied us with a clever video that any club can adapt to use for publicity. ​​ 
Feel free to be inspired, to modify, or outright steal the ideas presented here. If you need more help, just reach out. We've been there before, and we'd be happy to help, whether it's starting your first club or holding your first tournament, let us give you a hand. Drop us a line at: Secretary@USAPetanque.org
  • FOUNDING DOCUMENTS: The Port Townsend Pétanque Alliance went through the process of getting together eight players to form a club, then they really got busy. They drew up a constitution and bylaws reflecting FPUSA guidelines and used that document as a stepping stone to create the club structure, get a bank account, and, finally, to join the FPUSA. You can read more about it in Robert Force's article "From Passion to Possible: One Pétanque Club's Journey."
  • THE PROPOSAL: This ambitious proposal for a pétanque terrain was devised by the Noyo Yoyos club of Mendocino-Fort Bragg in Northern California. They used it to ask their local recreation board for a new pétanque terrain. It was so persuasive, the rec board gave them three terrains instead—an 18-court terrain and a five-court terrain in Fort Bragg and a five-court terrain in Mendocino! The folks at the Port Townsend Pétanque Alliance in Port Townsend, Washington, adapted the proposal, for their own use, and voilá, they now have a world-class 18-court pétanque terrain at Fort Worden State Park. Download either one of the proposals and adapt it for your club. If you need any help, just reach out: Secretary@USAPetanque.org
  • THE SCHOOL PROPOSAL: The Port Townsend Pétanque Alliance's proposal to the Chimacum School District shows how you can modify the basic Proposal for a particular purpose. The PTPA has succeeded in bringing the game to the local schools, including those in the Chimacum District.
  • THE VIDEO: When La Boule Cadienne in Lafayette, Louisiana, wanted to publicize their 10th Annual International Lafayette Louisiana Pétanque Tournament, they created a very simple, but ingenious video. Once you have your club up and running and are ready to let the pétanque world know, make a video, send it to the FPUSA Secretary. We'll put it on our Facebook page. Check out La Boule Cadienne's video below and laissez les bons temps roulez as the say in Lafayette: 

Essential Club Application Documents

Waivers

Link to this page for waivers for adults and juniors.

Club Affiliation Form

Download the club affiliation form by clicking the button below​.